Derek Kivayilu

I’m a Business Development & Customer Engagement expert with over 10 years in the tour, travel, and hospitality sectors. I specialize in securing high-value B2B travel contracts, building strategic partnerships with corporate clients, and designing bespoke travel experiences that earn loyalty.

In my current role as a Business Development & Customer Engagement Manager, I drive B2B growth for corporate travel solutions, luxury safaris, and group tour packages across East Africa. I’ve secured and managed multi-million shilling corporate accounts and led end-to-end customer engagement strategies that resulted in a 90% increase in repeat bookings and client referrals.

I’ve consistently built revenue through consultative selling, proactive account management, and data-driven customer engagement. I use CRM and tracking tools (including Salesforce/HubSpot) to manage pipelines, preferences, and post-trip feedback—resolving complex escalations with a 95% satisfaction resolution rate.

Before that, as a Senior Business Development Executive, I onboarded new corporate clients and partners, increasing overall revenue by 80% within 18 months. Earlier, as a Travel Consultant & Client Relations Specialist, I managed high-net-worth clients with 24/7 concierge support, exceeded monthly sales targets by 95%, and used CRM-based personalization to reduce churn by 90%.